


Kings & Queens

by Kahnah



Series: Royalty Verse [4]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Gen, king!au, royalty!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-11
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-02-17 00:43:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 15,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2290739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kahnah/pseuds/Kahnah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snippets and extra scenes for the Royalty verse</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It must be done

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!  
> Here's a little surprise for you! I had birthday some days ago and my lovely Beta prepared this gift for me: he wrote 5 scenes I could never include in my story and they are so amazing that I had to share them!  
> I hope you guys love them as much as I do!
> 
> PLEASE CONSIDER: THIS WILL HAVE MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE ROYALTY-VERSE.  
> You should be fine if you read 'Everybody wants to rule the world', though.

**It must be done**

 

Particles of dust were floating in the air, ablaze with light. The border between shadows and the sunbeams that came rushing in through the windows was so distinct, one could draw a picture after it and every day at 12 am, if the weather was playing its role, the lines would match.

Mostly, it would show the windows; the grids that cut the even spaces into squares. Then the chairs and tables and other furniture, easy to recognize. One chair in particular would stand out though. It was big, mighty. A throne, worthy of a king. Or the one that calls himself by that title, yet wasn't one.

But nobody, in that picture, would be able to distinguish the silhouettes. Maybe their roles, yes, but not their names. The one sitting on the throne was obviously the king, his crown gave it away much easier. The one next to him probably a guard, maybe a counselor or a prince. And then there was the one with the fool's cap, the one that was throwing rings into the air. Four flying high right now, one in his left hand. Everybody would be able to tell who he was. The jester, the clown.

Lord of misrule.

That's what a picture, drawn in just that moment, would be able to show you. Even thin lines just tracing the shadows would. What they weren't able to retain was the mood, that jolly mood. The laughter of the king, so bright it was sunshine itself; and how his fool was brightening up whenever he was able to make his dear highness, his dear father laugh. When he brought the sun out.

When even the knight was not able to hold himself back, no matter how hard he tried. And he tried.

"How does he do that!?", was the kings question, not paying much attention to the work he had in front of himself, spread out on a big oak wooden table.

"I honest don't know, my liege.", said the knight, maybe with less wonder and admiration in his voice. He kept those feelings to himself, no matter how mutual they were to the kings. 

So they continue to watch while the Jester was throwing his rings. They were pretty big, maybe one foot over and the band was flat, two inches and painted on both sides. One was green, the other one was golden. The was juggling with them so they could see the gold, and then, just ever so suddenly, they changed to green. It was no magic trick, still they weren't able to tell when he changed them and how; it happened too fast. 

Not to forget that he was still jumping through the room, up and down, catching them behind his head and just before they hit the floor only to throw them up to the ceiling again. 

"Ray, fetch!", the jester cheered and the ring was already on its way. The knight was fast, fast enough to dodge the ring or even catch it. These were not the rules of his game, though. Gavin had been planning this trick for a while now and so Ray unsheathed his rapier and caught the ring by poking the point of his weapon through the rings opening. Now this quickly turned into a game of toss, as the jester began to throw the rest of his toys, not making it very easy for his friend. The stunt was a success and both of them got their rightful applause from King Geoff, who had jumped off his throne and been cheering for them.

"That was awesome, lads!", he beamed, laughing again. Gavin did the same. Ray just got a little red.

"You have to do it again, but this time-"

The door to the throne room was opened and a rather annoyed Jack entered.

"I see your work is making much progress, my king?", he said with a click of his tongue. The lads faced the ground, still smiling like the idiots they were, but King Geoff just smiled directly into Jacks face. "We had just had a little fun. You see, Ray here-"

"I can already picture it.", Jack interrupted yet again and now all three of them knew that he was actually in a bad mood, even though his eyes glared over the five rings that were still dangling from Rays arm and murmured a short compliment.

Only now they notices the silver plate he had brought with him. The diner for the king.

"You guys eat in the kitchen."

"Alright, alright.", Gavin murmured back, mimicking the big, bearded man's voice. Ray followed him with a hand on his mouth to prevent the giggle to come out as they both left.

Silence followed, until the silver plate hit the table and Jack sat down heavily.

"You still want to do this?", he asked.

"Sure.", the king answered, shrugging.

"You might not come back. We know so little about the Nether."

Now Geoff sat down as well, the food remained untouched. Folding his hands, he looked at his old friend and both knew that nothing they said right now would change anything. It was already decided. But the king also knew how much his counselor worried about him and how this was the big man's way of getting it out of his system.

"I just have to know."

"There are other ways to find a good heir and for the other thing-"

"We have been over this so many times now, Jack."

That was true, but the eyes beyond the red beard remained troubled.

"I have to know."

"Actually, you don't. It's him one way or the other, does it really change anything?"

"It does. It matters a great deal. How can I keep him under my roof, under my protection, if I don't even know... _what_ he is?!"

Jack had given up on that argument a while ago, but he was not convinced.

"He is Gavin. Your Prince Regent, for all that matters."

"And I might have given my love and affection to someone that does not deserve it."

The hands of the king became fists, his eyes darkened as he stared at something that only he could see, but in Jacks mind his friend was remembering a little boy that had laughed and cried, that the king had joked with and given tissues to when he woke up from a bad dream.

"Is it that? That you don't know if it was...right? Right to love him?"

"He had that idea, didn't he? What if he is not only a jester, but a trickster. What if..."

"Gavin would never betray you, he honestly loves you like a father."

"Can you assure me that that's the truth and the only truth there is!?", he almost yelled. Now Jack saw that the kings eyes were red, teary.

"I have to know!"

And this time, Jack nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was the first of five snippets, I will update this once a week (and the main story too of course)  
> Please write some nice comments! My Beta is really nervous about it being published and he is a crybaby (also if you are extra nice maybe he will write some more~)  
> See you next week!


	2. Waiting for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lights were signs that there was still some hope left in this place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we go for the second round with an idea I really adore!

**Waiting for you**

 

Nothing really changed after he arrived. Not for her, not for the others, the days just went on like they always had. An endless turmoil of grief and sorrow, salted with tears and peppered with her own damn smile that she put on every time she faced all of it. Yet she could not talk to him, or look at him the same way. Him being here meant things that nobody else cared about but them.

Carrying a few branches and twigs in her arms, Lindsay walked towards the few light orbs on the clearance. They were good signs for her. The portal itself had a moody, violet shine to it that only covered a few steps and was simply fading into nothingness. It was luring luster. The ones that she lost hope on didn't even bother to light a fire. They were just glaring at the gloomy shine, waiting for whoever they missed, whoever they held dear.

The lights were signs that there was still some hope left in this place.

After a while, Lindsay made out the one she had been looking for. The huge man was sitting next to a bonfire on his own, but the small flames had nothing to eat and so they burned low, only revealing small parts of his face. Even though his red beard seemed to be ablaze.

"Have some more. This puny thing won't survive the night."

"Sure.", he grunted. Jack hadn't been a huge talker since he arrived with dire news. So Lindsay sat down next to him without asking, feeding the fire that was clenching to the wood like a leech dry of blood and hungry for some.

"You want to talk?"

"No."

"One day you will. I know that. You probably do, too. They all break, because they have to.", she said with a sigh. He looked at her rather confused, but not as bugged and repulsive as he used to.

"There is a reason I know everybody's story. None of them last long. That's why I am here."

She pointed at a woman that was warming her hands on a fire close to them. Her hair was falling down to her back and it looked like it did not see a comb in months. Her hands were twisting, fingers wrestling with each other as if they tried to break themselves. Her eyes didn't seem to take notice.

"Her family burned to death. They were poor farmers, all living in the same farmstead. Grandparents, brother and sisters. Children. And lots of those. They were all gone before the sun rose that day."

She looked at Jack, trying to catch his eyes with hers to make her next words find their target.

"That day was ten years ago."

Not waiting for his reaction, Lindsay turned her head, finding the back side of a man sitting a few yards behind her. She knew him all too well.

"Him over there, he-"

"I get your point. You know every sob story around." Turning her head back to the blacksmith, she wondered about him. Normally they didn't break before the fourth or fifth story. She had lots more to switch it up.

"I just don't know what you want me to tell you. Everybody in the entire kingdom knows what happened." It went without words that there was more to the story than just the things that messengers were screaming at markets all over the country.

"How often is the official story the actual one? I want to hear your side. Why you are the one waiting for him right now and not somebody else."

It didn't look like he wanted to talk about it. In the grown fire Lindsay was able to make out his face a lot better, reading from it like she had read out of so many others. Yet Jack remained a small mystery for her. All the others, no matter how sure they were that their loved ones would come back to them, were grieving the loss that had brought them here; but the man in front of her did not.

He was sad, yes. Reminiscing, of course. But he wasn't mourning the dead. Jack did not lose someone through a sudden event or an accident. Jack had been left behind.

"He did a very stupid thing, you know.", he whispered and there was that stutter in his voice that broke something inside of her, and inside of him.

"He was sure about some things, and doubted others. I don't know if he was right about any of them." After all he still held back. Told her just as much as he could. She got that. That this was all he was able to say. His eyes were begging for her to understand and she nodded to assure him. Took his hand, that paw of a bear with both of hers and squeezed it tight.

"I should have stopped him. Argued more about it. Planting some more doubts here and there, maybe. I am sure there was something I could have done."

"That's all behind you, you know and there is no way of going back. There is only today and then there's tomorrow. Don't you think there is something that you could do tomorrow, instead of dreading about what you maybe could have done in the past?"

She stroke his hand some more, tried to give comfort. Some advice that he might remember one day when it was actually able to get through to him. That day was surely not now but it would come sooner or later and then it was better if he heard it five times more than necessary.

"You're doing a great job here, really. And I like your voice.", he said with his deep one and it had a friendly ring to it, one Lindsay had not heard before today and she smiled at him.

"But before Geoff steps out of this portal I will blame myself for his death."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We need more Team OG in general, omg


	3. Paperwork

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The start of a new month was always the worst. Reports came rushing in from all over the country. Most of it was about the kingdoms economy. Farming, mining, stock breeding. Does everybody have enough to eat, were the lands resources put to use? Did the trade with their neighbors carry on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Third round; here we go!

**Paperwork**

 

"Just like we expected, the mine production has gone down, even below the old average.", Ray sighed, putting the paper where it belonged: A big binder of a dirty brown color that held the statistics for the mine since over a decade ago.

The start of a new month was always the worst. Reports came rushing in from all over the country. Most of it was about the kingdoms economy. Farming, mining, stock breeding. Does everybody have enough to eat, were the lands resources put to use? Did the trade with their neighbors carry on?

All of it had to be overlooked and sorted out. There surely was a right place somewhere to put it and for every right place about a hundred wrong ones.

"It still was a good thing you partially reversed Ryans law.", Gavin answered. He was looking over the letters and petitions that came flying in every day for the king. Most of it was people trying to get some sort of compensation for whatever mishap had happened to them. A cow died of sickness, can't the family get a new one? A bunch of hens escaped through an old, brittle fence. Not their fault. Maybe the king has some to spare.

There were a lot of people out there that just thought a letter to the king might get them something. Gavin had to admit that most of them were able to hit some of his weak spots with their letters and more than often he glared at Ray for a second until the king cut him off with an annoyed 'No!' before he was even able to say anything.

"Ray, but listen! This family lost their home when it was struck by lightning! It was completely ablaze and burned to the ground over night!"

"Really? Ablaze? Nice try."

"They obviously don't know that you like that word!"

"But you know and it's not working, Gavin."

"I didn't just say it, it's in the report!", he said, handing Ray the letter. The king, now torn between being bugged out and a bit curious, took the piece of paper and it did not take that long to find the word.

"Who actually writes like that!"

"You would."

He shot the jester a side stare that made him flinch a little and continued reading.

"Listen, Gavin. Nobody died, nobody was even hurt and for such inconveniences Geoff has already a law installed that grants the family the resources to start over. Writing a letter like this should not grant them anymore privileges or everybody will start doing it."

"Everybody is already doing it.", Gavin complained, grabbing and shaking the big pile of letters he still had to open.

"And that's why it's important not to give in. Come on now, let's get back to work."

Ray gave the letter back, watched Gavin fold it and put it on the 'Not important' pile to his left and both of them resumed their tasks, just before the king mumbled:

"I am also sure that 20 letters are not the entire kingdom. That would be silly.", which got him punched in the shoulder followed by his own choked giggle.

The next piece of paper Ray grabbed was some sort of payment list. Starting to read, he figured that it was the report from the treasury, telling him what portions of money came in or were taken out and what source or reason was behind the transaction. It was a long list that continued on a bunch of other papers below the first and it took Ray quite some time to work his way through.

He made some notes and the longer he read the more he started to wonder.

"This can't be right.", he finally said, shaking his head in disbelieve. Gavin, gotten suspicious, scooted over to lean in. All he saw was random numbers and a bunch of rather normal looking transactions.

"What do you mean?"

"You see, I just finished the mine report and some others and the money on there is a bit more than listed here. It changes at times, but mostly it's like 5% that just ...disappeared."

"Everywhere?"

"No, only on certain ones.", and then it hit Ray like a shoe to the face. "The mine! The belongings of the criminals that were executed or locked away for life that were cashed in! Most of the stuff that doesn't add up is something that Ryan had to do with while he was king!"

Now Gavin was staring a little harder at the papers. Ray was not sure if he did that to look like he could see what he meant or if he wasn't sure about it.

"You mean Ryan stole money from the kingdom? But he was the king himself. What would he use it for? It's not like he couldn't take it at any time."

"I don't know. Maybe he had a secret project going on."

Ray was not happy with this. The Mad King had been working on god knows what behind their backs the entire time. Something he didn't even want to appear on any records.

"Did you ever look through Ryan's stuff? They did not just burn it, right?"

"No, he was the king after all. They are stashed away in one of the storage rooms."

"Then let's go."

Together they left their current work behind and started roaming through the castle's innards on the hunt for the Mad Kings possessions. There wasn't really a system or somebody that knew everything like in a library and Gavin did not put it away himself, some guard did. It took them awhile to find the few packages in some dark corner, but Ray recognized one of his notebooks.

"What if he did not write it down?", Gavin asked, not really into the new pile of work. Maybe it was because these things belonged to a dead man.

"We will know if he did after we went through all of it."

Sighing, Gavin sat down next to Ray and they started looking, not even sure what for. Such a secret project had to be planned. There was no way Ryan did all of it in his head. There had to be a trace that he left behind and they had to find it. The Mad King could not be trusted.

Nothing. They found absolutely nothing.

"That can't be. I was so sure."

"Well", Gavin said, taking the last notebook he had just closed by the cover and back, lifting it up and shaking it, "The money is probably gone."

A small piece of paper fell out of a secret crease inside the books binder.

"You got to be kidding.", Ray cheered, patting Gavin's back who could not believe his eyes just yet and the new king grabbed the paper, not sure if he should be excited or worried.

After a quick first glance, Ray mumble: "Yeah, the money sure is gone."

"What does it say?"

The king gave it to his counselor. There were only a few things written on it and without reading it, one could easily mistake it for a simple and rather short shopping list. It said:

\- orphanage (1.000 gold, need to get more)

\- school (5.000 gold)

\- new playground in the park (need around 500 gold for that)

\- charity folks who get kids off the streets (200 gold, these guys need more too)

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I am totally in love with this idea, okay?  
> Absolutely a thing Ryan would do; gosh I wish I had thought of that!


	4. Out of reach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The only thing he liked was the sound. He never realized how many things swirled through the air without him or anybody noticing. There seemed to be a constant note, setting up a kind of background to the instruments nobody ever heard of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This scene might just be my favourite out of this bunch. Taking place during (the second) King Ryan and I would have loved to write this but I loved to have a twist a bit more~

**Out of Reach**

 

His world was a pile of emptiness. No light, no color, nobody. No place to go and no place to hide. That was his prison. Michael stared down to his feet and tried to think of the last time he ate something, drank something. It didn't really matter, to be quite frank. He had lost his appetite long before he got here.

Funny how so many things lost their meaning in a place like this. The only things left that were real were these iron bars, the stone wall and his promise. His promise to stay here for the rest of his miserable life as punishment for what he did. He tried to not think about that too much and on other days he thought about it all the time. Because it hurt and that was the punishment he needed.

Right now, he didn't think of anything. Nothing was there, everything was dark. His eyes couldn't see, his nose had decided to ignore his own smell and his skin had never been too comfortable with rough clothing and the itching of places he hadn't been washed in a while. His mouth felt numb and the food he got either remained untouched or tasted all the same.

The only thing he liked was the sound. He never realized how many things swirled through the air without him or anybody noticing. There seemed to be a constant note, setting up a kind of background to the instruments nobody ever heard of. Like bug feet tripling , stones cracking and torches burning at times after Ryan came down to visit him. That was a rare occasion though, but Michael liked the flames blazing sound.

Listening to the fake silence made him forget. If only for a little while.

Someone started to scream in the distance. Where Michael was, he could not tell how far away it might be. For him, it could have also been from another kingdom; another planet. Sounds like this penetrated his bubble not often, yet he never paid them any attention. Even if the man was screaming right next to his cell, there would still be the wall, the iron bars and his own restraint.

Another howl, even louder than the first ones. He still did not think anything of it.

Why should he, anyways? Some strangers, some criminals pain was none of his concern. They should rot and perish in here just like him. Because they all deserved it, because they all had done horrible things. Horrible, horrible things.

Whoever screamed there probably deserved it too, Michael thought, grunting to himself in agreement. It was only natural to be punished for the things you did wrong. That was the law, the order that he had sworn to live by. Neither he nor anybody else no matter how loud he cried out was above that.

Then why did he keep thinking the same thing over and over?

Michael did not have to convince himself that this was the right thing. He had made that decision for himself a while ago. For his own good, he had no other choice but to follow what little pride he had left inside of him and it saved him. But with every cry, every howl, every heartbreaking scream that echoed through the dungeons he crumbled; shattered. And didn't know why.

It made him cover his ears, curl up on his cot, wish for some sleep that he never got. Slowly but surely, it made him furious. First it was annoyance, then hate that slowly faded into desperation until he found himself lying on the ground, the screams surround him like a swarm of bees that kept stinging him where it hurt. Hurt most.

Why?

Because the voice was familiar. Like someone waking up from a bad dream. Or not waking up at all.

It took some time to sink in. 

Gavin was here. In the dungeons. He did not belong here, what was he doing? Did Ryan do this? 

Gavin was here. The one screaming, the one that made him feel something again.

Gavin was here.

And he felt his agony.

He jumped to the cell door, downright throwing himself against the bars. His face met cold iron that felt just as sharp as a daggers edge but he didn't care. Staring down the hallway he had an answer to the screams. It did not make it out of his mouth. There was so much to say and all of it was against his own oath. Michael remained silent.

"Shit!", he growled, sliding down the locked door. A new howl came rushing by, made the strong warrior feel weak in his bones, worthless in his mind and empty in his soul. 

Please make it stop.

Another. And another and another. So full of anguish and torment. 

"I can make it stop, Gav.", he said. Wishing his voice would reach him somehow. "I am here. You don't need to cry no more." 

He never wanted the key to this damn door so bad. Bring down these walls and shit on his promise.

"I'm coming, my boi." and he tried.

His hands grabbed the iron bars and tried to force them apart. His fists met the stone wall trying to tear it. His finger were full of scratches at first before they started to bleed, started breaking. But not once did he call Ryan's name.

The warrior's wrath was not enough to break him free. Looking down at his hands that were so strong and so skilled with the sword he let go of faith a little more. These hands would never be able to save someone. They could not even save himself.

There was nothing more he could but to...

"GAVIN!!!", he screamed from the top of his lungs. Short of breath he bent forward, gulping down the air like a mad man. His forehead hit the brick floor and it hurt, but that was not the reason tears came streaming down his face. 

"I am so sorry."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Breaking News: My Beta is my beta because he is evil. I am trying very hard to make him flinch in the slightest but until now it has yet to work. But I will try some more~


	5. Entering the Void

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do I not want to go back?, he thought, confused. Don't I have enough reason?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update but I've been incredible busy with work this week (and proabably next week!)  
> But let's head into the final-part (maybe?) of the snippets; and my favorite!  
> Playing after Ryans death in chapter 14~

**Entering the Void**

 

There it was, the ground. Hard and relentless. He was wondering about that, when it would finally appear. The light feeling slowly vanished, leaving him unarmed and, for the worst part, alone.

Again, he was alone.

It was warm, just like he remembered. His shoulders started to ache. He had to move, but invisible weights were holding him down. Actually, he had no idea if they were there or not. To be chained down was a possibility he hadn't thought about yet, but still a possibility.

Ryan was not foolish enough to believe that. He knew this place. He was inside the Nether. Again.

Alone.

Something in a place so deep he was not able to tell where it came from flinched and cramped and hurt just so very much. He felt like crying, but every drop of water his body could produce seemed to just dissolve in the void that this place was. Emptiness. Hopelessness.

There was only one way out. He knew what he had to do; he had done it before, but...

His fingers moved, but they did nothing but to form a fist and clenched together just like his insides did. A fear deep down started to boil. He didn't want to do this again, to wander through this endless space, not sure where to go, if the way forward was even the right one. If there was a right one at all.

Shaking, he tried to open his eyes. Nothing happened.

_Do I not want to go back?,_ he thought, confused.  _Don't I have enough reason?_

Smiling faces and hair he would tousle flickered in the corners of his subconscious and his mouth tried to form what he loosely remembered as a smile. It had been fun at times, hadn't it?

Then the tears came. The blood and the eyes struck with fear, hate and horror. Voices that were lowered as time went on and on and hands pressing against his throat and how he wished they would be stronger and quicker and how the air faded and his eyes closed and darkness and

with a motion just as though lightning had struck him, he sat up.

He wanted to scream, to cry, but his mouth was dry and he felt his lips burst open the harder he tried. His own hands traced the sore places where others had left marks behind, then they wandered down to his stomach, to his side. He was not wounded anymore, there was feeling in his legs.

For a short portion of time he was not sure if he wanted to cry of fear or happiness.

_I might see them again._

He stood up, shaking, feeling the heat struck him and every breath hurt. His own death rattle was giving time a second hand. Now that he was on his feet, now that his mind was finally set on getting the hell out of here, the pain started to follow him like a pet dog you once gave food and that just would not leave you alone until you gave him another piece, and then another one.

It was torture.

The first step was the hardest. Ryan was sure he had never hesitated to go his way for so long. But then there was that nagging thought:  _Am I not going back, instead of ahead._

What was there waiting for him?

Gavin, who would never grow up as long as he chose for him?

Ray, who held a hatred for him for so many things!

Michael, who could easily replace him for what he was worth.

For that he was the mirror.

And what was waiting for him here?

A light pillow of memories to float and dream on. Where he only remembered the fun times, the happy times. Where his wife was still smiling at him and little feet were rushing back from the river, a rod and a fish in their hands and yelling: "Daddy, daddy! I got one, I got one!"

Why was he standing here, thinking about steps that hurt and breathing air ablaze?

There were lads playing in the mud, laughing and gleaming. Endless hours of chess games that had always been so much fun. Even the paperwork he had loved. Made him feel like he was doing something, being of use, changing things. Like he mattered.

If he just laid down, it would never end. It would be nice, no?

Not having to worry about anything.

And yet he worried. Worried so much his knees kept him up straight. Kept him breathing.

_They need me._

Within a blink of an eye he had made the first step. Then another. His lungs filled with fire burning just as hot and wild as the world around him. Felt like drinking the lava that was pouring down beside him. But Ryan could take it, he had taken much worse. He had been through this hell already.

Oddly enough, it felt easier. Something was missing. Something he remembered through nightmares and luring shadows with eyes and claws. The voices were gone. Noise that had filled his head until it felt like cracking open and promises of power and wealth that had made his poor soul weak.

Gone, like they had never been there to begin with. Without them, this place felt much less surreal and out of this world. It still was hell, a place of fire and death. Yet Ryan was left to wonder if this was the only place souls could travel to. The only end of a life, the only last station.

Or was it just made for the worst? For the weak? For the strong? For all of them that still had something that bound them too closely to the real world. May it be hatred or love. What was the requirement, who made the decision.

Was that the circle? The endless wheel of life and death, nether and earth. That could not be it, Ryan came to realize. There had to be more. There had to be salvation in a better place, and that place was not here.

He started running. Ignoring the pain. This was not it, not the place he wanted to be or to end. It might not even be on the other side of the portal, not in the castle, but beyond. Not here.

And so he kept running.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I hope you guys liked it! I know I surely did and once again I'd like to thank my Beta for this amazing gift!  
> Thank you, Honey - love you!


	6. Trying To Make Amends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was a barrier between them that one couldn't and one didn't want to cross.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another snippet I have to add here, also written by my Beta!  
> This scene plays in the last chapter of Glory & Gore so beware of spoilers and was often requested:  
> The final scene between Gavin and Geoff.  
> The song going with it is "No Light, No Light" by Florence and the Machine, which is Gavin/Geoffs song. Make sure to hear it!

**Trying To Make Amends**

 

_a Revelation in the Light of Day_

_you can't choose what stays and what fades away_

 

Shaky fingers traveled over metal. It wasn't cold at all like Gavin had expected his own crown to feel after such a long time. Maybe that was because he was freezing himself. An awfully familiar feeling he wasn't yet ready to face again. That was a challenge for another time. Today there was something else waiting for him. Someone else.

The door to his chamber was opened and Geoff entered.

His face was bruised and the fact the people closest to him did that instead of the once that felt true hate for him might have made those punches actually hurt. He closed the door behind himself and turned around to meet him with eyes that darted around, absorbing the lingering shadow of death that was clouding the air in this room. He couldn't tell if the man was shocked or amused.

"You came.", Gavin said, choking on his dry throat that would have needed a moment longer to realize that it was about to be used again.

"Sure did."

Geoff was standing where he had entered, unmoving. He wasn't nervous or hesitant so it felt like hostility. There was a barrier between them that one couldn't and one didn't want to cross. 

"Sit, please. I want to talk to you."

Already feeling his strength slipping away, Gavin pushed himself back into a sitting position, arching his back a little. It was a strain on his body, but if he wouldn't do that, his weak figure would just crumble altogether and leave him defenseless.

"I'm good. It won't take that long.", he answered with such certainty. 

If anything, Gavin was disappointed. Geoff was looking down on him and for a second Gavin wondered why he wasn't surprised by that.

"How did we get here?", this question alone was bearing too much.

The old king looked him straight in the eye. Both had trouble recognizing the other.

"I made a few too many mistakes.", he admitted and Gavin gasped. That wasn't what he had expected, not from him and not even now. 

"I let it go too far. The moment I saw you I was torn and still I... I should have never loved you."

Gavins eyes grew wide, he could feel his throat tighten and it hurt because it was soar and broken.

"Maybe none of this would have happened then."

A single tear was running down Gavins cheek as his head tried to wrap around the words that had been spoken. Things he had never even thought about, things he had never ever dared to fear. 

"That was not your fault.", he whispered before he could think clearly again. Something was wrong.

"Of course it was! I would have been able to let you go! Yes, maybe we would have been bruised and battered, but it would have been alright. It would have been okay."

Geoff had walked a step towards him, his hands raised as if he tried to reason with him. Explaining to a little child what his words meant and he was desperate. His face derailing into a state between panic and exhaustion.

"I need you to understand!", he cried out as the green eyes didn't focus. They gazed through him, but Geoff just continued to talk in a desperate measure to reach him.

"I never wanted all of this to happen. Not to you. I was too narrow minded to realize my mistakes, but Jack helped me. I understand now. It was all-"

Gavin seemed so far gone before he opened his mouth. The words that came out were monotone and had a stale taste to them. 

"It's a lie. White lies. You still think it's my fault."

Geoffs voice grew softer, but the panic in his eyes was still present.

"How could it be the fault of a little child. You did nothing wrong. How could anybody put the responsibility for that on your shoulders."

Something was so wrong. Geoff was finally opening up, tearing his soul out for a chance of redemption in his eyes. How long did it take for him to arrive at this point. To say that it was him and not Gavin. And how could he have gotten it so endlessly wrong.

A spark was flickering behind green mirrors that only reflected the truth.

"You regret me."

"That's not what-"

Geoff took a fleeing step back as the king laid eyes on him, his crown burning. 

"You come here to say that you regret ever loving me!"

"That is really not-"

"Do you even understand? You were my father!"

"We never...", he protested weakly, trembling himself.

"Did we have to? Did I have to say it out loud? Did you need to hear it, Dad? Was that it? Is everything alright now? Did that please you? Was I being a good boy? Your little buddy?", now he was screaming and his voice couldn't handle it, chopping off when the pressure was too much.

"Was I not a good boy?"

Geoff hand twitched, he had to clench it to a fist to hide his own shaking fingers.

The crowns flames expired and the fire hid again, leaving behind a burned out vessel that was barely able to keep itself together.

"You really don't get it.", he smiled. No other expression hurt as much as this one. 

"Your mistake wasn't to love me, it was to stop acting like it."

There was a tension lifted from Geoff body. He didn't look relieved. More like something had been taken away from him. His last hope.

"Truth be told, I was never sure what I was loving, but I loved it dearly. I thought I would just take that little boy home with me and patch him up, cover his eyes and forget where he came from. You didn't remember anything. Back then I didn't care, but now I am not sure if there ever was a boy to begin with."

His look was cast down. The first time he let himself really go, lost his offense and dropped from his high throne down to the ground where Gavin had been waiting.

"Not sure? It's true that I was hollow when I came out of the portal. There was a Gavin once and I remember now. How he lived and died. It doesn't matter, because he never left the Nether. But you know what? You and Jack gave birth to a new Gavin. You made me, made me happy. You filled the nothingness with all those memories. That's who I am. That's what you are. Just a bunch of memories that molded you into who you are today. I still have lots of good ones. Don't you have some left, too?"

When Geoff was able to look up again, his shoulders were trembling and the breath he forced into his lungs was searching for salvation. 

"I was not able to fill it all. There was always that corner I couldn't reach. I could never love the black in your eyes."

"And that is the most ironic part of it.", he laughed, because it was The Truth and he was choking on it. Ripples went through his haggard body as he started to cough, his mouth too dry and his stomach too empty to spit anything out, but that made it worse. Geoff was moving, reaching out and he was already halfway across the room when Gavin told him to stay back. He was gagging and it sounded like he wanted to throw up his own insides. Clenching fists into the blanket, not even strong enough to pull the little bit of fabric any closer. It took a few more moments to subside. Breathing heavily, Gavin keep himself upright.

Once upon a time Geoff would have been so proud of him and how he had grown up.

The king had used the last of his reserves and in this moment of weakness his thought trailed away.

"I wonder. Once there must have been something, something that started all of this. Even now I can't remember, but there has to be."

He was looking at Geoff with a puzzled look.

"Do you remember? I don't think you do. Yet maybe I wasn't the only one being whispered to."

Geoff didn't understand. How could he? There was a feeling that he should ask. That this was important. That it could change something. Be his last hope again.

"If I could believe that I could find the strength to forgive you." 

An emotion was hitting him so hard and strong that the air seemed to disappear around him. Everything inside of him was clenched together and at the same time unraveled. The bruises on his cheeks started to hurt again and he felt like he deserved them. He felt guilty.

"You failed me, Geoff."

He had never felt pain like this.

"When I die, I want to be surrounded by people who love and respect me. That's why I want you to leave this castle immediately."

Could he apologize, was it too late?

"This is farewell, Geoffrey."

His body moved on his own. He didn't want that. To go out of that door. That could not be it. There had to be...he had to...obey his sons wish.

So he ran away.

 

_I was disappearing in plain sight_

_Heaven help me, I need to make it right_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah. This was actually my Valentines Day gift. Basically; I was crying on Valentines Day.   
> That's how you do it.  
> Anyway; I have some other small snippets if you guys are interested in them?


	7. Crown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The queen had died three days ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set somewhen long before the first chapter and actually written by me. Look at me; I also do things!   
> It's short as dicks

He opened the door to the throne room, walking hastily. Geoff looked up briefly, a small smile lighting his features for a second before he returned to the papers in front of him. They were unsorted, some even laying on the floor and Jack could sense how tense his friend was, trying to do it right.

The queen had died three days ago after a sudden sickness.

They hadn't given Geoff time to mourn or even understand what was happening, he had been pulled away from his mother back into this very room. He had been told: “Hurry up, you have to speak to your people this evening.”

Jack had known about this an hour later, running from the blacksmith through the hallways to reach the new king. Finding him sitting on the throne, pale and shaking as he stared down into his lap.

He barely had left his side since then, thinking of a way to make it better, to ease it a bit and he hoped he had found it.

As Jack walked up to his friend, he picked up the stray reports and threw them mindlessly on top of the others. That made Geoff stop in his movements because that meant extra work and he looked up, his eyes tired and sad. Asking to take him somewhere else.

The new counselor placed his present on top of the papers, still covered by a cloth before he put the whole desk to the side.

“Jack?”, the king asked exhausted. “I really have to catch up to that a-”  
“Later.”, he interrupted him before offering his gift.

It was clear by the form what it was and a bit confused Geoff pulled the cloth away: “A crown?” He already had one on top of his head, the one of his mother. Heavy from memories and sadness and diamonds.

“Your crown.”, Jack cleared up. It was a simpler one, crafted with gold and emeralds. The first one he ever forged in his life and his hands were still bruised from the hard work at night.

“Remember the books you read to me?”, the blacksmith asked, waiting until the other nodded. “It were always stories about the good and the bad, about two kingdoms in a war and at the end the good king always won. He had a crown just like that. Simple but made with gold and emeralds, bright and reflecting the light. The bad king wore a darker one with rubies which looked like blood and spikes! A crown you could have used as a weapon but still he always lost! But you...” He took the heavy diamond crown away before lowering the new one on the others head: “You are the good king, you won't lose. I know your heart, Geoff and I know that you are strong. You are not your mother, you are better! You told me about all these changes you wanted to do with the kingdom and now you can do it! You can make this a better place! And you will! I know that you will be a great king, better than any other! They will write stories about you! You are the good king, you are the Allfather!”

Geoff looked up to him, his eyes clear as the sea and in the next moment he was on his feet, throwing his arm around his mirror. The diamond crown fell to the floor, rolling away as they held on to each other.

“Thank you, Jack.”

“Long live King Geoffrey, long live the Allfather.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can never have enough Team OG


	8. Prompt 1 - "If you die, I’m gonna kill you."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "If you die, I’m gonna kill you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So part 1 of the prompts I got on Tumblr.  
> They are nothing much, not canon and contain fluff, but you know!  
> The prompt this time was Michael + Ray with the sentence "If you die, I’m gonna kill you."

“If you die!”, Michael snarled into his face. “I’m gonna kill you!”

Ray opened his mouth to explain just why this sentence didn’t necessarily make sense. He was pretty sure that the warrior knew that but adrenaline was still washing through his system by the close call and made his thoughts a bit foggy.

He got grabbed by the collar and dragged along, hearing his friend mutter the same words over and over again until he was shoved behind a tree.

“Michael.”, he started again. “You can’t kill someone who i-”

“Shut up!”, he snapped at him. “I can do it! I walk into the Nether and find you and then… then I take that stupid brooch of you and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine!”

Raising his eyebrows, Ray looked at him a little amused but the other wasn’t done: “Then I take that coat and make you eat it! Don’t believe I wouldn’t do it!”

“Mic-”

“And then… then…”, he trailed off for a moment, before shaking his head. “I don’t know! I find some more ways! Drag you out on your hair or some shit!”

“Micha-”

“I’ll find something! I’ll be fucking creative if I want to!”

“I can heal, Michael.”, Ray reminded him softly and it finally stopped the rambling. “Also they didn’t hit me, alright? The bullet missed.”

“Blew your head away before.”, the warrior muttered and now he seemed embarassed and out of breath, hiding from the others eyes. “Also they were aiming for me…”

“They missed.”, Ray insisted, squeezing his arm gently. “They missed both of us. We’re both alright.”

And now Michael looked up, brown eyes bright with fear and panic before taking a reassuring breath. Nodding, he licked his lips nervously: “Alright… Alright, fine!”

“Sorry for scaring you.”

“I thought it hit you.”

“I know but it didn’t.”

“Good…”, he muttered before trying himself on a shaking smile. “Lucky you. Your brooch stays were it is then!”

Ray snorted before shoving him out of the way to look out of their cover:  “Lucky me, indeed.”


	9. Prompt 2 - "You lied to me."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You lied to me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second one!  
> This time it was Lads + Ryan with "You lied to me."

“You lied to me.”, Gavin muttered above him and Ryan managed to open his heavy, heavy lids. The king sat next to him as he laid on the floor, his head resting in what seemed to be Rays lap. The knight looked down at him, his lips tightly pressed together and worry written all over his face.

Steps neared them and the counselor looked around, finding Michael hurrying towards them. A goblet of water in his hand.

“What happened?”, Ryan asked, surprised by his own raspy voice.

“You fainted.”, the warrior explained as he sat down next to him. “Right of your chair. Scared the crap out of us.”

“Oh.”, the counselor simply made, trying to think back. And yeah, he had woken up this morning with a terrible headache and the looming feeling of getting sick.

“You said you were alright.”, Gavin said again and as the blue eyes found him, he actually looked mad. “You lied!”

“Sorry.” With a grunt, Ryan tried to sit up but was shoved back down by the king.

“Lay down!”

“Gav, I am fine a-”

“Yeah, not believing that for a second!”

Sighing, he tried to roll his eyes but flinched at the pain in his head. Ray seemed to notice and started to comb through his hair gently. It was relaxing and he threw the knight a smile but didn’t get one in return.

“I want you to go back to your room.”, Gavin continued. “And you’ll stay there!”

“What? No! I ca-”

“Yes, you can.”, Michael insisted from his other side, putting the goblet down for him to drink later. “You are no use for us like this!”

“Guys, that’s bullshit. I can wor-”

“You have a fever.”, Ray finally broke his silence. His hand rested on the others warm forhead before moving down to his flushed cheeks, frowning at the temperature. “You are sick, Rye.”

“It’s nothing. Reall-”

“That’s an order.”, Gavin hissed and it sounded tense as if he was ready for a fight if the other was trying to resist. And the pounding in Ryans head was picking up again, too loud to even considering discussing this matter anymore.

“Fine.”, he sighed, giving in at last. 

“Michael. I want you to check on him. Bring him whatever he needs.”

“Sure thing.”

“The Lads are in big-brother-mode again.”, Ryan mocked them but made an embarassing noise when Ray pulled at his hair.

“Shut up."


	10. Prompt 3 - "You heard me. Take. It. Off."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You heard me. Take. It. Off."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Third one, yush! (this one is so dumb, omg)  
> Prompt was:  
> Lads + some Ryan with "You heard me. Take. It. Off."

“You heard me!”, Ray hissed agiated. “Take. It. Off!”

“Nah.”, Michael replied cocky, stepping back when his friend reached out to take a hold of him.

Ryan stood in the doorway, watching the three staring at each other in a tense silence and wondered what he had walked in on.

“You let your defense down.”, the warrior continued, not bothering to hide the brooch on his coat that surely wasn’t his. “Now you have to deal with the consequences!”

“Yeah.”, Gavin agreed, hoppling on his feet.

“You are quiet, I thought we were a team and you betrayed me so easily!”

“But Michael..!” The king turned to him and revealed Mogar in his own hands and now that was enough to make Ryan panic. He’d kill himself with that weapon; for sure!

“What are you doing?”, he asked into the room and all three of them looked at him surprised.

It was Ray who was the first to speak, nearly pleading him to do something: “Michael took my brooch!”

“Gavin took my sword!”

“Ray took my scarf!”

“Only to even it out!”

“Even it out? It was Michael who started it - I helped you!”

“I didn’t start it! It’s Rays fault for being so sassy! He deserved it!”

“Sassy? Only because yo-”

“Stop it!”, Ryan interrupted them, knowing they’d get nowhere with this otherwise. “I get the brooch and the scarf but how the hell could Gavin get Mogar!”

The king grinned proudly at him: “I am just that good!”

“Give it back now.”

“No! First I want my scarf back!”

“Not until I have my brooch!”

“No way!”

“You three are not children anymore!”, Ryan said but wasn’t all too sure right now.

“Step down, Rye! This is a fight between men!”

“Oh yeah, midget? You wanna fight?”

“Midget? I am not small!”

“Yeah you are!”, Gavin peeped up.

“Enough! All of you!”, the counselor called and reached out. “If you can’t handle this, I’ll take them.”

“That’s not fair!”

“I don’t care!” He ripped Mogar out of the kings hand and then reached out towards the other two. With some grumble they gave in and handed him the scarf and the brooch.

“Good. You’ll get yours back by the end of the day.”

“But Ryan!”

“Nothing of that! Get to work!”

Pouting, Ray and Gavin turned around and headed towards the throne room. Only Michael stayed back, asking a bit embarassed: “I kinda need Mogar for my work, you know?”

Ryan snorted at that: “You let Gavin take it from you. Now you have to deal with it.”


	11. Prompt 4 - "Looks like we’ll be trapped for a while…"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Looks like we’ll be trapped for a while…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearly through with the prompts!  
> This time we have the Lads with "Looks like we’ll be trapped for a while…"

“I can’t believe that just happened.”, Michael muttered in awe, stunned by the turn of events of getting something out of the chamber to suddenly being trapped inside said chamber with two other people. A very, very tiny chamber.

“Well…”, Gavin made, pressed between his side and the wall. “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

“Yeah? Jumping into my back and letting the door fall shut?”

“Not necessarily the last part, no…”

“No shit, man!”

"Looks like we’ll be trapped for a while…", Ray muttered as he tried to open the door but found it locked.

“Not necessarily. They will come and look after me.”

“You think?”

“I’m the King! Of course!”

“That might be true.”, Ray admitted before leaning against the door, trying to create a bit of space between them. “But said King left with his personal knight and personal warrior for protection.”

“At least we are safe then?”, Gavin offered, making Michael next to him huff frustrated.

“Great! We’ll probably run out of air first!”

“Bullshit! Ryan will worry way sooner about us!”

“We told him we would take an hour.”, Ray reminded him. “And even after that it would take him some time to actually find us.”

Shifting around nervously, Gavin looked at the warrior: “Can’t you break down the door?”

“I can’t even reach it without climbing over you guys. How should I get enough leverage for a good kick in here?”, he replied. “And I don’t think I can draw Mogar in here without beheading one of you. Probably you because Ray is too small.”

“Hey!”

“I could burn the door…”

“Please don’t use fire in here and kill us.”

They fell silent, stunned by the fact that they were actually trapped in here for quiet some time. Looking around, Michael checked on the shelf for anything useful when Ray suggested: “We could just… you know, call for help?”

“And explain that how?”

“Just say it was a stupid accident?”

“We’ll be mocked by the whole damn castle!”

Shrugging, the knight gave up and Michael continued to search for a solution, frowning when he found the king next to him, eyes closed in concentration: “And what are you doing?”

“Channeling Ryan.”

“Oh yeah? Do you expect his Big-Brother-Senses to tingle?”

“Maybe, yeah.”

Rolling his eyes, the warrior huffed but fell silent as he found Ray in the exact same position: “Are you fucking kidding me? Do you really think that will work?”

“You have any better idea?”

Well, to be honest he did not. Sighing, he gave in and closed his own eyes. Not that he felt stupid enough before but now trapped in a small chamber with the other two, no noise besides their breaths he kinda hoped to never get out of here and think back to this.

Only that someone sneezed in front of the chamber and he didn’t dare to open his eyes: “Oh my god.”

“Holy shit.”, Ray agreed and they shared a dumbfound look before Gavin cleared his throat.

“Rye? Ryan, is that you?”

“No way that worked!”

But then the door got opened and they stared into the face of a very confused and surprised counselor. Ryan didn’t even say anything, he just stepped to the side and let them stumble out. All besides Michael who still stood there shocked: “I can’t believe that just happened.”


	12. Prompt 5 - "This is without a doubt the stupidest plan you’ve ever had. Of course I’m in."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "This is without a doubt the stupidest plan you’ve ever had. Of course I’m in."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaand the last prompt!  
> Once again the Lads with "This is without a doubt the stupidest plan you’ve ever had. Of course I’m in."

"This is without a doubt the stupidest plan you’ve ever had.”, Gavin had told him with sparkling eyes, making Michael already grin brightly. “Of course I’m in!"

“Then hurry up and help me.” , the warrior said excited. “You know what will happen when Ray finds this? He’ll fucking try and stop us!” He scoffed at the thought of it. The knight had something like a moral, which was utter bullshit if you’d ask him. 

All’s fair in love and game, right? And pranks are games in some way.

Even the ones he had to plan ahead for a few days and took hours to gather the fitting materials for. But now he stood back and dropped an arm around the still awestruck Gavin: “What do you say?”

Green eyes wandered over the utensiles he saw and he breathed out: “Michael…”

“I know. I know.”

“I could cry, it’s so brilliant!”

The warrior nodded thoughtfully, proud of his own creation when they heard a surprised gasp behind him.

Ray stood in the door, eyes wide as he saw the objects scattered across the floor and _understood._

“Michael…”, he whispered in horror. “You can’t do that!”

They stared at each other for a long moment before Ray shook his head: “I can’t let that happen!”

“Don’t you dare, Ray! I’ll break your arm again!”

But the knight was already off, screaming after Ryan as he ran through the halls. Gavin was hot on his heels, jumping easily over the obstacles the other was throwing in his way.

“Get him, Gavin!”, Michael called after him. “Do it for the ultimate plan! Do it for me!”

“For my boy!”, he hollered as they turned the corner. Michael giggled to himself, rubbing his hands as he heard a crash and a loud yell. Moving back to finish his prank, he muttered: “Perfect…”


	13. Point of View

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Vagabond wasn't part of their plan, he was just a minor character – to be disposed by either Ray or Gavin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Look, this thing is still alive!  
> For my december-shedule I will post 6 snippets for the royalty verse here because I apparently can't stop writing about this AU!  
> Obvsly there will be spoilers for the royalty verse, d'uh.
> 
> First a thing I wrote along with Glory & Gore but couldn't really fit in there. Jack's thoughts on Ryan because they are both great and I love them big time!

The time Jack caught the first glimpse of Ryan after he himself had gone out to wait at the portal for Geoff – after he and Geoff had come up with this plan to kill the demons and he had traveled towards the castle to test the waters first– it was strange to say at least.

He hadn't known that the vagabond was still in the castle but there he was, sitting in the throne room even. And he reacted fast, grabbing Gavin before the new king could reach Jack, standing in front of him protective.

It was a strange picture, one that threw him off.

The Vagabond wasn't part of their plan, he was just a minor character – to be disposed by either Ray or Gavin.

And he didn't trust Jack. Didn't trust his sudden appearance and it was clear in the cold eyes of him.

Ray told him that Gavin had chosen him as his counselor and that was also absolutely _not_ according to the plan. Jack even felt a bit betrayed by that, considering that it was _his_ rightful place.

But he wasn't really in the position to judge betrayal, right?

Ray seemed also furious about that choice but Ray seemed furious about everything, a dark vibe coming from the knight that made Jack frown more than once.

He didn't recognize him anymore.

So he tried to talk to Gavin about his decision but didn't seem to catch him alone. Ray was always close, eyes trained on the king like... like what?

He refused to think about it.

And even the time he woke up at dawn and moved towards the throne room, making sure he would be there first and maybe have a few minutes alone with Gavin to just talk... he found the vagabond already there.

The king soundly asleep on the throne, curled up there and more relaxed than Jack would have dared to believe after everything that happened. Not after he had seen how haunted Gavin's eyes were, just like back when he had been a child.

But there he was, without nightmares or mindless whispers. More like a cat while the vagabond brushed through his hair absentmindedly. Only stopping when Jack arrived and the other was quick to retreat as if he had been caught red-handed. Shy and unsure as if he wasn't fully aware of what he had done himself.

 

It wasn't just Gavin.

It was Michael after they had sit down, meeting Geoff again. Because Michael hadn't died, Michael was on their side and with him they could take the three demons out. They didn't tell him all of the plan, knowing he would never agree but he hadn't expected him to be so reluctant about attacking Ryan.

“He killed Geoff”, Jack reminded him and the warrior looked guilty.

“I know... it's just...” But he couldn't explain it. Michael had never been good with words and Jack didn't understand.

It was also Ray and he hadn't expected it from him if he was being honest. Ray had shown such an ill-will towards the vagabond that it was a surprise that he even came to stop Jack from severing the others head once and for all. And the knight even stood in their way, ready to take a hit if it just meant to protect Ryan even though the other was as good as dead anyway.

In the end it didn't matter because the vagabond died but it didn't stop Jack from wondering.

It was strangely fascinating.

And when Geoff asked him for his opinion on the vagabond, he didn't have to think about it long. “He is not the pawn you hoped he would turn out to be.”

That opinion didn't change even though he stopped thinking about it after a while.

After all the vagabond – Ryan – was dead, killed by his axe.

That was until he and Geoff returned once more. Because the news of the endermen were concerning and a threat to the country they still loved. And Ryan was back there.

Standing next to Gavin like before and staring them down. Staring them down with hate and determination. Blue eyes, cold but clear, a warning towards them to just try. Try something and they would regret it. Make the slightest mistake and he would know. He would know and he would act on it.

So Jack decided to keep an even closer eye on him because after all the information he had gathered for Geoff on this man... he still didn't know _who_ he was. And what exactly had happened to bring this change in the man.

Yeah, he had seen a certain fondness in the vagabond before he himself had left to find Geoff by the portal. Nothing much and mostly focused towards Ray but clear enough to departure with a somewhat safe feeling.

What had happened in the months in between?

There was no one he could ask so he settled on observing.

It was easier for him and Geoff would want it anyway. Geoff who was outward jealous of Ryan without even daring to admit it to himself. But it was there, clear as the sun.

Jack couldn't say he didn't feel the same.

It was in the way the lads acted around Ryan. Always throwing small glances towards him, as if to make sure he was still there and checking if he approved of their actions. Like making sure he was proud of them, would maybe sent them a smile they were quick to return.

It was in the small touches he witnessed. The hand of the vagabond on someone's shoulder, grazing their arm or resting on their head nearly absentmindedly but still there. How those small touches calmed them down and Jack could see how the lads nearly soaked those little affections in. Returning them a bit shyly but with growing confidence.

Jack noticed that Ray was always around him, a bit like a shadow. Eager to learn and help wherever he could.

He noticed Michael trying to make Ryan laugh, grinning proudly whenever he succeeded.

And he noticed how Gavin hung on the others lips, eyes wide as he listened intently, trying to prove so hard that he was being good.

In the end it was the vagabond himself who gave him the answer.

After Jack stopped focusing on the lads and the touches and the clear ill-will against him and Geoff it seemed clear. As he focused on Ryan's face and his eyes, he saw it change the moment he did so much as catch a glimpse of one of the lads.

How his expression would instantly go soft, how his whole body seemed to relax and lean towards them when they talked. A shy smile lighting up his features as he reached out, placing his hand on someone's shoulder. It was in his eyes that were made out of ice but grew so warm with simple love that it was hard to look at it.

Jack forced himself though, waited until Ryan noticed and turned towards him. The fondness was gone instantly, the ice back and burning with determination. Burning with the will to do anything and kill anyone if it only meant to protect those close to him.

So Jack averted his eyes, feeling like a weight was lifted from his shoulder by that one moment. Because he still wasn't sure what had happened in those months and what had changed and shifted between those four.

He just knew that his three lads were as safe as they could possibly be.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On Friday I'll update a small analyzes about the four demons, so look out for that!


	14. The Four Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wrath, lust, greed, envy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A character study on the four demons that probably came together while discussing with Rachel or maybe not? I don't remember to be honest

Now the problem with the four demons is that they not only have different characteristics (wrath, lust, greed, envy) but their relationships also get hugely influenced by the way their contract was formed.

If we look at Ryan he did it the way it was suppose to happen. He died, decided to face the Nether and was found worthy to be the host of a demon. His question _“Do you want the strength of an army?”_ is his deepest desire at this point – he wants power for his revenge, for the faint hope to get his family back.

He and Edgar click immediately – Edgar is granted freedom and Ryan the power he wished for.

Even throughout the story Ryan's wish never changed, only the source is another. Instead of doing everything in his might to get his family back, he decides to let them go. To concentrate on his new place in the kingdom – on his new family – and yes, he still wants the strength of an army for that. Even if this time it isn't for something aggressive; he just wants to keep the lads safe.

Edgar understands that and Edgar respects that, so Edgar allows him to use his gift as he wishes.

 

Now Ray is nearly the complete opposite.

The origin is similar: He dies, decides to face the Nether and was found worthy to host a demon. After that it all derails. _“Do you want the pain to stop?”_ is his question and even though he agrees, it is not his wish, it is not a deep desire of him. He agrees because in this moment he is in agony and he is scared and desperate.

Not only that but he doesn't pass the test of Nether, he doesn't make it out alive. Gavin gets him, Gavin drags him out and at this point he is already lost. Sichora doesn't respect him because he didn't get them out – so it imprints on Gavin.

Meaning Ray had just sold his soul for a wish that wasn't worth it and for a demon that doesn’t listen to him and is way stronger than his own will.

Throughout the story the goals of both of them will align but even then there is a chance that a huge part of it is Sichora's doing and it just influenced Ray enough to really make him its puppet.

 

Of course Gavin is kind of a specialty.

His origin is unknown – was his first demon the Lightbringer or did he just make a deal and his price was for him to turn into a demon, getting trapped in the time loop?

Anyway, his question _“Are you afraid of the dark?”_ has a childish vibe to it; he shows no signs of being scared of darkness, rather has he problems finding sleep in the beginning of the story. The Lightbringer itself is also a different case each time; even though its main purpose is to protect or steer the boy away from the unfortunate end, it is shown that it can be aggressive against Gavin.

Gavin is shown to do the same to his host in _“Snow”_ because of him being selfish and ungrateful – the same thing his demon punishes him for. In G &G the Lightbringer takes complete control because Gavin ordered him to burn the soldiers with the words: _“I brought you out, you owe me!”_ Which is actually the complete opposite of what's really happening.

The Lightbringer tries to bring _him_ out of the time loop – Gavin owes _it_ and not the other way around.

 

Michael – as usual – threw all careful plans and tradition out of the window.

He did not die.

He did not wake in the Nether.

And the demons did not come for him.

Rather did he walk in the Nether on his own will and picked his demon. Now, he knew about Triella because the Lightbringer told him the name. The Lightbringer only knew about Triella because Michael contracted the demon in the previous timeline – which is a paradox on itself.

 _“Do you want to protect?”_ The moment Michael hears Triella's question, he knows it's his demon. Exactly like Ryan it is his heart's wish, his deepest desire.

_“I always looked after them.”_

From the beginning Michael was the protector of their little group and throughout the story it was a fact that couldn't be destroyed, only shifted. Even though he nearly destroys himself by not protecting Ray but _killing_ him instead, even though he gets blinded and is all in all the weakest of them all – no real chance against their demons in a serious fight.

He is the protector.

He is the sword, taking out the threat before it becomes too dangerous and cuts through their bullshit if they get caught up in it once more.

Triella respects that and thus allows him to contract it – even though he did not face the Nether like he is suppose to. And with that respect Triella will probably protect him from the voices of their new deal as good as it can.

 


	15. Mornings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just snow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This plays between the last chapter of Castle of Glass and the epilogue!

 

When Ray woke up, he felt cold. That wasn't necessarily a surprise, it had been cold those past weeks and winter was coming but that didn't explain the lack of an heartbeat in his ear.

 

Making a confused cooing noise, his hands searched around for the second body that was usually beside him but ended up finding only crumbled sheets. Lifting his heavy lids, he blinked a few times until his eyes got used to the pale light but it didn't change the fact that he was alone in this bed. Looking over towards the second one in the room it was also abandoned, the sheets still unwrinkled like usually.

 

Gavin wasn't here.

 

The realization was enough to make panic flood through him and he sat up immediately. Eyes darting around for any sight of someone having come inside, maybe a fight – god, even blood but that couldn't be! It couldn't be,  _ couldn't be, _ because he would have heard it!

 

Gavin had been right beside him and now he wasn't anymore and  _ that wasn't right! _

 

Then his gaze fell on the window in the back of the room and he relaxed.

 

“ Gavin?” he asked, voice still husky from sleep and oh so slowly his heart began to calm down.

 

The jester was sitting on the floor in front of the window, looking outside as if he had never seen the sky before. He was so concentrated that he didn't even answer and still a bit groggy, Ray stood up.

 

“ What's wrong?” Rubbing his eyes, he dragged himself towards his friend and also took a look outside. He could find nothing out of place, the same view as every morning besides the fact that it was now dusted in white.

 

“ Snow?” he yawned. “I guess it was about time.”

 

Turning around, he froze. Because Gavin's eyes were wide open, staring outside. The pupils huge as if he feared to miss a single flake floating to the ground.

 

He looked horrified and Ray didn't know why.

 

“ Gav..?” he asked carefully, touching his shoulder. Sitting down next to him as he got no reaction, he shook him gently. “Gavin? Are you alright?”

 

Letting his hand travel to the others cheek, he shivered because he was cold. His skin was dry and pale and now that Ray looked for it, he found goosebumps on the others arms. “Fuck, how long have you been sitting here?”

 

Still no answer, still just that gaze traveling past him and Ray turned around as if he expected to see something different.

 

Just snow.

 

“ Gavin?” he whispered. “You are scaring me here. Come on, talk to me!”

 

But he didn't and with a hitching breath, he reached for the others hand. Fearing what he might find there but as always the cracks were dark on the jester’s wrist, completed and a reminder of the curse.

 

“ Gavin!” He was shaking him more roughly now but stopped when the others head simply lolled from one side to the other. “What do you need me to do?”

 

Nothing happened and confused he stood up, grabbing their blankets because that was the only idea he had, to get the other warm again and he threw them over his shoulder.

 

Sitting down, he wrapped his arms around the jester and pulled him close enough to feel the others breathing. Leaning his head against the unruly hair, he looked outside once more but still couldn't find what Gavin saw and it scared him. It scared him that after everything and after all his might, he couldn't help. He couldn't help Gavin because he didn't know what was going on but that was his job, that was his purpose and why didn't he know what to do?

 

Gavin's hands moved a little, lifting from his lap to feel the blankets.

 

“ Who are you?” he whispered beneath his breath and Ray felt like his heart was ready to burst from that sentence alone.

 

“ Gavin?” he muttered timidly.

 

And the tiniest of smiles appeared on the others face. “Nice to meet you, Michael.”

 

“ Michael?” Ray asked confused. “Should I get you Michael? Is that what you want?”

 

But the other was already slipping away again, he could feel him growing distant and he didn't know what to do!

 

Pressing a kiss to the others hair, he got back up. “Stay there, I'll search f-”

 

The door was already ripped open and there was Michael, still in his nightgown and Ray didn't even care, he just stared at him helpless but before he could say a thing, the warrior exclaimed, “It's snowing.” as if that was an explanation of any kind but it somehow was and Ray simply nodded.

 

With a few long steps, Michael was next to them and sat right in front of Gavin. “Sorry,” he mumbled while carefully holding the others face in his hands, forcing him to look at only him. “I did notice too late.”

 

Brushing through the others hair, he carefully asked, “Gavin? Listen to me, yeah? I want you to listen to every word I say. That's very important.” The jester gave no indication that he had heard the warrior but Michael didn't seem to care. “I am yours and you are mine – do you remember?”

 

The other blinked and Ray still didn't understand but shivered because of those words. They were heavy even if he didn't know why.

 

“ You remember, right? Of course you do.” Smiling, Michael moved his head so that he wasn't blocking the view anymore. “Look at the snow.” Gavin shook his head once, a weak protest but Michael didn't stop. “No, please do. Look really close. Do you notice? It's falling down, not up. It's falling down, Gav.”

 

The jester exhaled in a gasp before crumbling into himself. A long whine escaped him and Michael quickly embraced him, letting him hide his face in his chest.

 

“ Good. You're doing good, Gavvy,” he whispered. “It's just snow. Just snow, you hear me?” Looking up, he found Ray and gave him a shaky smile. Waving him close, the knight couldn't help but hesitate.

 

Still he didn't understand and now he felt... felt hurt. Because Michael could help and he hadn't been able to and that shouldn't be.

 

But Gavin was trembling violently, gasping as if he had been drowning and quickly Ray pressed his body against him, trying to keep him warm.

 

“ You're here,” Michael continued, whispering it against the others hair. “And we're here. You are real – it's just snow. Just snow.”

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something happier next week, I promise!


	16. Platonic Kissing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A huge grin stretched across his face as Gavin balanced on the edge, Ray sitting next to him, throwing his head back as he laughed at something and they were here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the kissing challenges I found didn't have platonic!kissing.  
> How boring

It was hard to put a finger on why today was different. Maybe it was because Ryan had stayed behind, talking to the warriors and Michael had decided to call it a day already. He was tired but in a good way and while walking towards the roof, he thought about Ryan and how great it was for him to find other people to get along with.

He wasn't really jealous... well, maybe a bit but he was also glad. The older had smiled as Michael had left him on the training fields and that was all the reassurance he needed.

And as he stepped onto the roof he froze.

Ray and Gavin were there, talking with each other without noticing him and that gave him the opportunity to just watch for a while. For the first time since... since  _ so, so long _ he hadn't feared that they wouldn't wait for him here. Walking here and finding the roof abandoned was a fear of him, he figured he would never shake off but right now he only remembered it too late - he was already seeing them. And the sinking feeling in his stomach wasn't there, rather did he feel energetic, felt light, like he could fly away right now.

A huge grin stretched across his face as Gavin balanced on the edge, Ray sitting next to him, throwing his head back as he laughed at something and they were _ here . _

They were  here  and  _ alive  _ and he was with them and the roof was lively.

Without much thinking, Michael lunged ahead and snatched Gavin around the waist. Tackling him to the ground, he full out giggled at the surprised squawk of the other before resuming to tickle him and the jester squealed loudly.

“ Stop it, Michael! Michael, stop!” he called breathless, fighting against his hands as he squirmed on the ground.

“ What did Ryan say about balancing on the roof?” he asked lightly, not letting off for a second.

“ Michael! Michael, stop!” Laughing, Gavin slapped him but it was weak. “Ray, help me!”

And it were the magic words because Ray appeared, trying to tackle him. Those two were so predictable that Michael caught him, pulling him along as he rolled onto his back. Stumbling down, Ray landed between them, snickering along with them.

On a whim, Michael reached out and grasped his face. Ray's eyes focused on him, bright and warm and he was so happy to see them like that, so grateful to be able to see this again, to be here again, that he simply leaned ahead and kissed him.

It was different than with Lindsay. Ray's lips were a bit rough, a little chapped while hers were soft. He and Lindsay also had a certain rhythm after all those time and she would move with him while Ray just gasped surprised.

Not able to help himself, Michael giggled against the other's mouth and then Gavin made such a strange noise that he couldn't help but crack up. Pulling back, he saw exactly what the jester found so amusing because Ray looked absolutely shocked, eyes wide and his mouth open in a little  _ oh . _

Letting himself fall back down, Michael and Gavin laid together, screaming with laughter at the other’s expression.

Flushing brightly, Ray only made it worse by slapping him on the chest. “Michael!”

He didn’t even have the time to collect himself before Gavin lunged forward and wrapping an arm around Ray’s shoulder, he pressed a sloppy kiss against his cheek. Ray squeaked surprised, trying to shove him off but Michael caught his hands before he could. Together they pinned him down, where he helplessly chuckled as they peppered kisses over his face.

“Stop it guys! That tickles!” Ray called but was ignored because it was such a weak protest that it only made them laugh more.

Blinking tears away, Michael saw him flushed but alive, squirming a little beneath their weight but Gavin had his arm still wrapped around him, giggling helplessly against his ear as he tried to muster the needed coordination to press another kiss to his face.

They had to look like a mess when Ryan stepped on the roof a moment later, eyebrows raising.

“What the fuck are you guys doing?”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week will have the last scene for the and it's kinda important - it will be the last scene I will write for the Royalty!verse


	17. After Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flames and voices in his head. Snow that was falling upwards and a freed bird.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!!IMPORTANT!!!  
>  Please read before... well, reading
> 
> This is a very special snippet, inspired by one of Rachel's theory.  
> Remember the other timeline we caught glimpses of in Snow? And how right before our Gavin get's ripped away, there is an attack with Ryan appearing, apparently going for the king?  
> Now... who was the second intruder?

“ That wasn't part of the plan, Ryan!”

The voice was harsh and loud enough to stir him awake and with a soft groan Gavin reached out to hold his throbbing head. It wasn't working because his hands were bound at his wrists, something rough biting into his skin and he groaned again.

What had happened?

They had been in the throne room, preparing for a trip to Rhyst. He had looked over Geoff's shoulders, going through the documents with him and feeling a bit nervous. It was an important meeting and he would follow Geoff through it on each step as the Prince Regent.

And suddenly this bang outside and before he could look up, the doors had been thrown open. It was a whirlwind of panic after that, he heard Ray scream and saw him fall to the floor. The knight had run ahead, followed by Jack but the two intruders had been too strong.

Swift, powerful moves and Gavin himself had taken his bow and then... then...

Pain.

Flames and voices in his head. Snow that was falling upwards and a freed bird.

Now his eyes fluttered open and it was dark. He was somewhere and it smelled like rain. It was damp where he was and he felt cold.

In the pale moonlight shining through trees, he could make out two figures that sat in some distance in front of him, checking on each other thoroughly. “It wasn't according to plan, yeah but the best option we had at this point. King Ramsey will pay every coin we want from him for the Prince.”

That voice. He knew the name to it, a distant memory.

_ Ryan. _

“ This all went terribly wrong! I don't like it!”

“ Nobody died. Not even the people that should have.”

“ Ray got hurt!” the second voice said and it sounded desperate. “He wasn't meant to get hurt! We were suppose to knock him out, I didn’t want him to get  _ hurt !” _

“ I know but he was too fast. He nearly got me,” Ryan assured him. He cupped the other’s face lovingly and whispered, “I am sorry. I didn't kill him, I tried to hold back. I promised you that both of your friends wouldn't get killed.”

“And now one of them is badly wounded and the other is our prisoner!” The voice was agitated but Gavin could see the silhouette, saw that he was leaning into the touch and finally he recognized him.

“ Michael?” he asked carefully and both of them turned towards him.

The face of the older, Ryan, was nothing but an echo in his head but he would recognize Michael everywhere. He had never seen him this scared and conflicted though and the moment their eyes met, the warrior averted his.

“ Michael? What's going on?” Gavin asked again, flinching a bit when the warrior stood up abruptly.

“ Fuck this,” he whispered and walked off, leaving him alone with this familiar stranger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Rachel's Mad Prince Michael idea, okay?  
> It shall be canon


	18. Chasing Ghosts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s cold,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas, all you normal people!  
> To the others; I'll wish you a Merry Christmas tomorrow!

_ God is dead _

_ We get to sleep tonight _

_ Walk with me into the Truth _

_ Out of your lies _

  
  


The castle was quiet in the early morning hours before even the maiden were busy to get the day started. Now everything was still under the cover of sleep and it was peaceful.

It was a blessing after the hectic day. The  _stressful_ day, even though Gavin hadn’t even contributed. He had hid away in his room, trying to concentrate on the work Lindsay had given him to pass the time. As always Ray was by his side, trying to joke, to take his mind off from the guests they were having but it wasn’t really working.

It was the first time that Geoff and Jack were visiting the castle after… after he himself had come back and he was confused as to what to feel.

Of course he was happy to see Jack again. He had meet up with him this morning and even though he had tried to appear more mature, he had just jumped into the others arms like it was a gift. It kinda was, Jack’s arms were big and warm, perfect to hide in and he had buried his face in the others chest for way too long with none of them saying a word. But that wasn’t needed, not really.

They didn’t have much time together and after a few minutes Jack had been back on his way to the throne room.

Still, it had settled something in Gavin that he could never really describe. He did know that it was a nice feeling, a  _warm_ feeling and afterwards he had smiled and hummed.

But of course Geoff was also here. Somewhere in the castle, together with Lindsay and Michael and Ryan. It worried him but not enough to coax him out of his hidey hole.

Now in the darkest of night he finally felt peaceful, wandering through the all too familiar hallways. His breath visible by the coldness around him and he was shaking slightly. He should go back and grab a coat or something but that might wake up Ray. Ray who had finally fallen asleep and would probably follow him around.

Gavin was grateful for that, he really was! It was just that sometimes he needed space, needed room to  _ breathe _ .

Sometimes… sometimes Ray didn’t understand that.

He also didn’t understand why Gavin would chose the place he did to relax. If he was honest, Gavin didn’t understand it himself.

But his grave was… it was peaceful to him. As macabre as it sounded, he liked it there.

It was always quiet, nobody trespassing and a new, wooden gate to lock people out. Only visited by him and he wondered briefly if he was haunting the place.

Did that count?

He chuckled at the weird thought, slightly amused by it as he watched the snow from the windows he passed by. It sobered him back up. After everything he still couldn’t quite deal with winter even if it was an unreasonable fear.

Shivering in the cold, he wondered if he should really head back and search for another place but he was so done with being afraid.

Reaching the gate, he pulled it open and had to close his eyes by the gust of wind coming through, bringing snowflakes that felt like little needles against his skin.

“Oh.”

Blinking, he found Geoff standing a few steps away from him. 

He was wrapped in layers of clothing, way better defended against the winter than he was and still he seemed to freeze.

Gavin did as well as they stared at each other. In the bright moonlight the snow seemed to glow and Geoff’s eyes seemed to be as blue as a lake. It was a harsh blue, a lost blue as they found his green ones.

Neither of them moved and after the first shock, Gavin felt panic rise in his chest.

What was Geoff doing here? Shouldn’t he be asleep after the long journey? Most of all at this time, by this weather? What was he doing outside?

His eyes drifted towards the ground, finding the layer of snow disturbed where he knew his grave was.

“Gavin,” Geoff whispered and his gaze darted back to him. With a dry mouth he didn’t know what to say, what to  _ do. _

Then Geoff made a step towards him and he panicked. Stumbling back, the gate fell close between them and finally he could breathe. It came out in gasps as if he had run all the way here even though he hadn’t.

His heart was drumming against his ribcage and he could flee right now.

Run away from the ghost out there and hide under his covers. Like when he had been a child.

Instead of searching for Geoff he would just curl up into Ray and hide his face in the others chest until he would wake up from this nightmare.

What was Geoff doing  _ here? _

Had he visited his grave?

His feet didn’t move and he figured Geoff didn’t either. Staring at the gate, a part of him wanted to go back and rip it open. Let the wind come inside again as he screamed against it.

Screaming like the last time he had seen him, pretending he was over him, that it didn’t hurt anymore but that were lies. Of course it still hurt, it would probably never stop. He was just learning to deal with it, that he could live with the pain.

Yeah, he could scream that at him. Or he could ask how he had been doing, if he was alright. What had he written in that letter?

Had he asked for forgiveness?

Had he accused him for surviving?

Was Geoff wondering why he had never answered? Would it make him proud to know that Gavin had burned the letter in his hands until nothing but ashes had been left behind?

Maybe he could just say hello.

_ Hello, Geoff. How are you?  _

_ Pretty cold tonight, right? _

Those words had fallen from his lips a million times - now he felt himself choking on them.

The gate opened slowly and his feet moved, making him retreat before he could stop them. He didn’t want to appear weak and scared and he forced himself to hold still.

He wasn’t! He had become better,  _ stronger ! _

Moonlight illuminated Geoff’s form as he stepped into the hallway. The gate fell close behind him and dropped them back into darkness, a faint twilight in which they couldn’t really make each other's expressions out.

Again they stood there, their breathing for the longest time the only noise in the sleeping castle.

“You are alive,” Geoff finally said. He took a step ahead, stepping into a sliver of moonlight and still Gavin couldn’t read him. All he saw in those eyes was a lake in winter, cold and uninviting and it hurt. It hurt because beneath the surface was a yearning he couldn’t place. A honesty he had missed for so long.

With another step Geoff was engulfed in shadows again and he stayed hidden until he stood right in front of him. 

Gavin didn’t move.

Eyes trying to see through the dark but they were also scared of what they could discover.

A hand found his cheek and he wasn’t even surprised. He leaned into the touch, closing his eyes to pretend that this was alright, this was normal.

Reaching up, he laid his own hand over the other, sighing quietly.

“You are alive,” the older repeated and this time he answered.

“I am.”

To hear his voice or to feel him, maybe it had a completely different reason, but Geoff’s breath hitched. His thumb stroked his cheek gently before holding his head still.

Gavin felt the others breath warm against his forehead as lips brushed against his skin, comfortable and familiar.

He had to press his lips together to keep from making a noise, his eyes still closed. He didn’t dare to open them.

And then Geoff’s hand was gone, his closeness, the small dreamlike moment. Instead something was wrapped around his neck, warm and soft.

“It’s cold,” Geoff told him before moving.

Quietly, Gavin listened to the retreating steps before burying his face in the green scarf.

It smelled like home.

  
  


_ The armies of faithful _

_ The killers of reason _

_ The grief for the crown _

_ The stupid _

_ The proud _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is "The Stupid, The Proud" by IAMX and please story let me go, please let this be the last I write for it!
> 
> This scene happened bc I was sad that Gavin didn't have his scarf anymore - well, there we go!
> 
> I will never be okay with Geoff and Gavin, nope.


End file.
